Seal.



L. s. FLAT/IU.

SEAL.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 7, I9I4.

1,1 37,392, Patented Apr. 27', 1.915

mentor L.. 5. Hatau THE MORRIS PETERS CO., PHOTO-LITHCL. WASHINGTON, D. C.

Uivrrnn sTAi-.Tns PATENT euries.

l LOUIS S; FLATAU, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SEAL.

My invention relates to a seal adapted tol sealthe fastening devices of vcar doors,'but it maybe used as a sealing device for locks and latches of various different kinds, or if desired, the new seal may be utilized as a sealingV device for containers that are not provided with locks.

The main object of the invention is to produce aV simple and inexpensive seal having a shackle and a connecting device for uniting'or securing the ends of the shackle.

rIhe connecting device preferably comprises a metallic pocket member having pockets for the reception of the ends of the shackle, and a winding device, arranged partly within said pockets, adapted to receiveV the ends of the shackle. In the practical use of the preferred form of my seal, the ends of the shackle are inserted into passageways in the metallic pocket member and into perforations in the winding device. The winding device is then rotated to draw the end portions of the shackle into the pockets, and when said pockets are filled, the means for operating the winding device is broken to prevent the shackle from being unwound.

Figure I is a front elevation of a seal embodyingV the features of my invention. Fig. II is an enlarged horizontal section taken on line II-II, Fig. I. Fig. III is an enlarged horizontal section showing the winding device and the shackle receiving pockets. Fig. IV is a view similar to Fig.v

III, showing the shackle wound onto the winding device. Fig. V is an enlarged vertical section taken through one ofthe shackle receiving passageways. Fig. VI is a view similar to Fig. V, showing an end portion of the shackle wound onto the winding device. Fig. VII is an enlarged vertical section Vtaken through the passageway into which the free end of the shackle is inserted after one end has been secured as seen in Fig. VI. Fig. VIII is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line VIII--VIII, Fig. I.

A designates a shackle, and B designates Patented Apr. 2v, i915.

Application filed November 7, 1914. Serial No. 870,813.

a device for connecting the' ends of the shackle. The shackle is preferably a flexible wire and the connecting device B preferably comprises a pocket member C and a winding device D. The Apocket member is preferably a strip of thin sheet metal folded on itself to produce metallic layers l and 2, each of -which is pressed tok form Vshackle vreceiving passageways 3 and 4, pockets 5 and 6 communicating with said passageways, and bearings 7 for the reception of the winding device D. The winding device is preferably a rod perforated at 8 and 9 toreceive the ends of the shackle, and provided with an operating member 10 at one of its ends.

11 designates indentations, formed in the winding device at the inner edge of the operating memberfl() so that said operating member may be broken from the body of the winding device as will be hereinafter described.

The two layers of sheet metal forming the pocket member C are prefer-ably riveted t0- gether at points near thepockets 5 and 6 and also near the passageways 3 and t and bearings 7. The rivet elements, shown at 12 are formedI by punching"l the layers of sheet metal and thereafter folding or crimping the metal as shown in Figs. I and VIII.

In assembling the three different parts of my seal, to place them inV condition for shipment to the user, the winding device D is inserted into the bearings 7 of the pocket member C, as shown in Fig. I, and one end of the shackle A is inserted into the passageway 3, and through the perforation 8 in the winding device, see Figs. I and V. It will be noted that the passageway 3 terminates at a point beyond the winding device so as to serve as a stop for the shackle the obj ect being to provide a gage or stop for limiting the movement of the shackle so that the parts may be easily and quickly assembled by the manufacturer. After one end of the shackle has been positioned in the passageway 3, as shown in Figs. I and V, the winding device is turned about one complete revolution, and one end portion of the shackle is thus wound onto the winding device, as seen in Fig. VI. This operation secures one end of the shackle to the winding device, at the same time securing said parts to the pocket member, thereby placing the seal in condition for shipment to the user.

In using the seal, the free end of the shackle is inserted through the article to be 4sealed and thereafter inserted' entirely VII, a continued rotary movement of the operating member 10 will result in twisting said operating member from the body of the winding device at the indentations ll, Fig. III. The parts then appear as shown in Fig. IV; both pockets are filled with portions of the shackle which lie in a compact mass between the winding device -and the Walls of the pockets. The operating member or key l0 is broken from the winding device, and the body of the latter is surrounded by the metallic pocket member C. The ends of the Winding device are preferably substantially flush with the side edges of the pocket member (Fig. IV).

I claim:

l. A seal comprising a shackle, and means for securing the ends of said shackle, said means including a pocket member comprising layers of sheet metal secured together and pressed outwardly to form a bearing, a shackle receiving pocket and a shackle receiving passageway communicating with said pocket; said pocket being larger than the inside diameter of said bearing, and a shackle Winder rotatably tted toV said bearing and surrounded by the walls of said pocket so that the shackle Winder may be rotated to interlock the shackle with said pocket member.

2. A seal comprising a pocket member having a pair of shackle receiving passage- Ways, a shackle Winder rotatably tted to said Vpocket member, said shackle Winder being provided with two perforations adaptedV to register with said pair of shackle receiving passageways, and a shackle passing through one of said passageways and through one of said perforations and having one of its ends woundaround said shackle Winder, the opposite end of said shackle being free to be inserted through the other perforation in the shackle Winder.

3. A seal comprising a pocket member having two shackle receiving passageways at one of its edges,said passageways being substantially parallel With each other but not in alinement with each other, a shackle having its ends separated from each other and arranged in said passageways, and' a rotatable device adapted to cooperate with the ends of said shackle to permanently connect all or" said parts, said rotatable device being provided with a removable operating member adapted to be broken from the body of said rotatable device.

4. A seal comprising a shackle, a pocket member', and a shackle Winder rotatably fitted to said pocket. member, said shackle Winder being providedwith an aperture forV the reception of said shackle, and said pocket member being providedy with a shackle receiving passagewayrwhich terminates at a point beyond said shackle Winder so 'as to form a stop for one end of the shacklefsaid .end of the shackle being wound onto the shackle Winder to secure the shackle and shackle Winderto the pocket member.

LOUIS VS. FLA'IVAU. In the presence of E. K. CLARK, A. J. MGCAULEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Clommissiorrner of vSPa/cents,

Washington, D. C. 

